


Home Sweet Home

by neggsi



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcohol Withdrawal, Depression, F/M, Meddling Kids, Recovery, Slow Burn, Suicidal Ideation, farmer oc - Freeform, fatherly shane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-21 12:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17643254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neggsi/pseuds/neggsi
Summary: Jas is a perceptive child. She knew long before Shane had accepted it himself that the drunkard was falling for the town's newest farmer. To her, it's clear as day that the feeling is mutual - but when Shane refuses to take a chance and confess his love for the farmer, Jas is going to take it upon herself to play matchmaker.





	1. Moonlight Jellies

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so, I haven't written a multi-chapter fic in a long time... but I started playing Stardew Valley and that's drawn a lot of inspiration out of me I guess. So, I'm going to attempt to update at least once a week, Sundays (Australian Eastern Standard Time) being my deadline. Don't see an update? Come bug me on my Tumblr (neggsi.tumblr.com)

“Hurry up uncle Shane!” Jas squealed, racing ahead of her caregiver in excitement. “We’re going to be late!”

Shane gave a soft smile at his goddaughter, heart swelling at the sight of her joy. When was the last time he’d been sober enough to really appreciate her? To appreciate that childish innocence? It was a welcome reminder of his duty to her - she’d already lost so much, and she definitely didn’t need a no-good alcoholic for a godfather.

Keeping his pace steady, Shane simply shrugged. “Jas, we don’t need to be at the docks until ten,” he reminded her, glancing at his watch to confirm that if anything, they would be far too early. The beach really wasn’t that far from the ranch.

Jas turned around, hands on her hips as she shook her head and gave a tut. “I already told you, we need to be there early so we can save a spot for Mabel!” she scolded completely oblivious to the way Shane’s cheeks darkened at the comment.

Right, Mabel - the farmer who lived just north of Marnie’s ranch, who only a few short weeks ago had stopped him from his drunken suicide attempt and weasel her way into his heart. The same Mabel who had no idea just how much he liked her, and who he had no intention of revealing his feelings to.

Of course, Jas was an observant child. She’d picked up on his feelings long before he was willing to acknowledge them, and she was determined that  _ tonight _ would be the night Shane told the farmer his feelings, under the gentle romantic glow of the moonlight jellies. It wouldn’t actually be a bad plan, if he wasn’t a self-loathing coward with no hope of his feelings ever being returned. It was a miracle Mabel even considered him a friend.

“She’s probably already seeing them with someone else,” Shane tried to rationalise, reaching out to grab Jas’ hand as they continued the journey forth. “Besides, I wanted to see the moonlight jellies with  _ you _ .”

Despite her frustration, Jas couldn’t stop her whole expression from lighting up. It was rare for Shane to have the time to spend with her, and so whenever he made an effort to it made her whole  _ week _ .

“Well, someone has to be there to make sure you don’t chicken out,” she decided, a plan clearly formulating in her tiny mind. Shane chose to stay silent, praying that by the time they actually made it to the docks Jas was too distracted to try and initiate any kind of… confession.

 

* * *

 

“Mabel, Mabel!” Jas sung from her place beside Shane on the docks, frantically waving her hands about to catch the farmer’s attention as she stepped foot on the docs. “Come sit with us, we saved you a seat!”

Trying his absolute best to remain calm, Shane turned his head to glimpse over at the farmer. The second he did, his heart throbbed with sympathy.

Last day of summer, last day of summer harvest, and clearly being out so late was taking its toll on Mabel. Her auburn hair, messily braided to hang just below her shoulders, was untidy from a day on the farm. She’d changed out of her farm clothes and into a weather appropriate plaid shirt and jeans, but the creases in her clothes and the uneven buttons were a key sign that they’d been pulled on last minute. Most importantly though? It was more than obvious that Mabel was exhausted, barely able to lift her hand and return Jas’ greeting. 

Mabel didn’t protest the arrangements Jas made, simply walked over and plopped herself down on the docks beside Shane, giving the pair a tired smile and a half hearted greeting. From this close, Shane could see just how dark the circles were under her eyes.

“You look exhausted,” he smartly commented, eyebrows furrowing in concern. “Are you sure you should be out this late when you’re so tired?”

Jas smacked his arm lightly. “You shouldn’t say that!” she hissed. She was probably right.

“It’s okay,” Mabel promised, her smile genuine as she leaned herself back to look up at the sky. “I  _ am _ exhausted. I think I took on too much work this season.”

Her words were soft, eyes distant and heavy, and even looking like a mess Shane was momentarily awestruck by how beautiful she really was.

“Uncle Shane could help you?” Jas offered, leaning across said godfather’s lap to pat Mabel’s arm sympathetically. “He doesn’t work on weekends, and he’s really good with chickens!”

As Mabel glanced down at the child, Shane felt his face heat up again at her offer. It was true that, especially since he was trying to sober up, he didn’t have a lot to do on weekends, but he wasn’t about to impose himself on anyone. Besides, he’d promised himself he’d start making more of an effort to spend time with Jas.

As if sensing the main issue, Mabel gave a hum of consideration. “Even if he wanted to do that, what are you going to do Jas?” she asked. “I thought Shane was going to start spending weekends with you.” 

As she spoke, the farmer shuffled closer, so she and Jas could speak with ease. Shane worked on controlling his heart rate as her knee brushed against his.

It was Jas’ turn to consider, the cogs in her tiny mind turning as she worked through the dilemma in her head. “What if… I come and help too?” she offered. “Uncle Shane wanted to teach me how to look after the chickens at home anyway, and then you get even more help!”

Shane and Mabel glanced at each other, both realising at once that there wasn’t an easy way to say no to this - not that either of them seemed visually opposed to the idea.

“Are you sure you wanna spend your weekends doing farm work?” Shane asked, mostly concerned that Jas would be bored. Then again, she’d probably just end up playing with the animals while Mabel and Shane did the real work.

Jas gave a short, determined nod, but before she could comment further, the tell tale glow of a jelly began to creep towards the docks. Conversation completely forgotten, Jas bolted upright and started pointing. 

“Look, look!” she cried, eyes sparkling in excitement. “The jellies are here!”

And just like that, the subject was dropped, and Jas was pulling Shane’s arm to point out each and every jellyfish to him. He gave soft comments every now and then, listening to Jas ramble about all the jellyfish facts Miss. Penny had taught her that week, but otherwise took the time to simply bask in the moment.

Mabel, sitting on his other side, made a genuine effort to entertain Jas’ conversation - sprinkling in her own facts, showing the child the green glow of the rare green jelly passing them by - but soon enough her eyelids were drooping, her head was slumped against Shane’s shoulder, and soft snores were the only sounds she made.

Face bright red, Shane tried his best to keep his focus on his goddaughter, making sure she never strayed too far away and pulling an arm around her as the child’s energy drained with the last jelly glow fading away. In that moment, all Shane could think about was how much they must have looked like a family.


	2. Morning Chores

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane really hoped Jas had forgotten about her plans with the farmer. Never assume a kid will forget.

Shane had really,  _ really _ been relying on Jas to have a terrible memory, but come Saturday morning she was waking him up right as the sun rose. Tiny hands shook his chest with all the force she had, and Shane woke up disoriented, far too sober and confused at the quiet demands of “wake up, wake up!”

Peeking one eye open, Shane caught a glimpse of Jas’ classic black pigtails and knew then and there his sleep was done. Her eyes were scrunched up in frustration as she continued to nag.

“Mm, what’s up kiddo?” he slurred, running a hand along his face in a half-assed attempt to pull the sleep from his eyes. “What time is it?”

Confident that she’d achieved her goal of waking him up, Jas gave a light scoff. “Did you already forget?” she grumbled (sounding so, so much like her father). “We’re going to Mabel’s today.”

As the fog of sleep lifted from his mind and the gears in his head began to turn, Shane slowly pieced together where Jas had gotten such an idea from. It took him far too long to remember the conversation at the docks, the undeniably cute but  _ definitely _ evilly motivated help his goddaughter had offered the farmer, and the exhausted figure that was Mabel, who’d fallen asleep on his shoulder.

Normally, Shane would have scooped Jas up pulled her into a cuddle, and then gone right back to sleep. If he’d been hungover (which he admittedly usually was of a Saturday), he wouldn’t have even bothered with the affection. Instead though, he felt himself slowly sitting up, stretching and popping his tired bones, and glancing over at his clock.

6am.

Shane glanced back at Jas, surprised to see that she was already dressed in an old (and almost too small) pair of faded overalls and a pink floral shirt. The kid had really tried to mimic the ‘farmer’ look, going so far as to wear an old blue scarf around her neck and pink rain boots on her feet. He hadn’t even organised this with Mabel, but it was obvious by now that Jas wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“Alright, let me up,” he sighed. “I’ll put some clothes on and then we can walk up to the farm.”

Before he’d even moved, however, Jas shook her head. “No,” she said simply. Shane gawked.

“No?”

“Your beard is all yucky, go shave!” she critiqued in a matter-of-fact tone. “And you’re all smelly!”

Shane’s tired expression slowly morphed into one of embarrassment as he realised his goddaughter was telling him to neaten up to see the girl he liked.

Flustered, the far-too-sober-for-this man ran a hand through his greasy hair. “We’re doing farm work!” he tried to tell her, avoiding the expecting gaze of his kid. “There’s no point in looking all nice when I’m just going to get dirty again!”

Jas stayed where she was, frowning with her arms crossed and determination in her expression. 

“Girls don’t like it when boys are stinky.”

And that’s how Shane ended up in the shower at 6:15am, shampooing his hair and shaving his beard, all for a day on the farm. In all honesty, he was just glad Jas hadn’t tried to talk him into wearing anything good - it seemed she was sensible enough to realise that a nice shirt and dress pants weren’t clothes to work in… Not that he owned either of those items anyway, but still. An old faded t-shirt with a band whose music he’d never heard hung comfortably over him, and a pair of sweatpants he normally slept in had thankfully been good enough for Jas.

By 7am, the pair had eaten breakfast (on Shane’s insistence), and they were off on the track that lead to Mabel’s farm. The journey would normally take about twenty minutes, but within ten the pair was able to spot Mabel up in the animal yards chasing a cow, and not five minutes later she’d spotted them and began to give an enthusiastic wave.

“Shane, Jas!” Mabel called enthusiastically, her smile brighter than the sunrise Shane had just missed waking up to. “I know you talked about coming around on weekends, but I didn’t think you actually would!”

The genuine pleasure that seemed to be radiating off the farmer was infectious - it had a tired Shane smiling back shyly while Jas raced over for a hug Mabel  _ definitely _ hadn’t offered but clearly wasn’t refusing.

“Of course we’d come,” Jas insisted, arms wrapping tightly around her favourite farmer’s middle. “I told you we’d come to help!”

Shane gave a shy nod of agreement, casting his eyes towards the dirt so neither Jas nor Mabel would see the affection swelling in his heart. It was too early, and he was far too sober for these emotions to be creeping up. In the back of his mind, Shane wondered if a shot of whiskey would have boosted his confidence around the situation. He tried not to let the thought linger.

“So, um… What do you want us to do?” he asked, probably too quietly considering the racket animals were making in the background, but luckily he was heard.

“If you want to start with the coop, I’ll try and wrangle these girls into behaving,” Mabel answered, pointing her thumb back at the cows to indicate her own job. “We’ll work out the rest when you’re done.”

Giving a simple nod, Shane tucked his hands deeply into his pockets. “Yeah, sounds good,” he agreed. “C’mon Jas, we’ve got work to do.”

With one final hug, Jas released Mabel and began to lead the way to the chicken coop, giddy with excitement. She knew her uncle loved chickens, and she also knew how much he loved to  _ teach _ her about chickens. If she were honest, Jas was more interested in the other, bigger farm animals, but Shane was always so eager to spend the time with her that she never argued. Before Mabel, the chickens had always been the one thing that made her godfather smile.

Mabel’s chicken coop was much smaller than the one on the ranch. She had a comfortable four chickens, in a coop barely large enough to house them all. Shane had overheard her talking to Marnie about upgrading the coop at some point so she could have more, but never being able to find the time.

Still, as Shane and Jas waltzed into the coop, the pair were surprised to see just how little  _ actually _ needed doing. The floor was relatively clean, the chickens clearly healthy and happy, water trough filled and hay strewn about in a mostly organised manner. The fence outside needed minor repairs, the feed bag was barely out of reach for the eager girls, and already it seemed that Mabel had missed at least a day’s worth of eggs, but she clearly cared for them.

“Alright kiddo,” Shane said smoothly, leaning against the doorframe and interrupting Jas moments before she could harass a chicken. “What’s the routine?”

Pulling her arms back from an almost capture, Jas gave a far too innocent grin as she recited the chores they had at the ranch. “Feed the chickens, gather the eggs, sweep the floor, change the hay, check the chickens and tell them you love them!”

Pride swelling in his chest, Shane gave a nod of approval. “Alright, let’s get started I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like it? Come tell me about it on my tumblr, neggsi.tumblr.com/  
> You can also bug me to update on time there too <3

**Author's Note:**

> Again, find me on tumblr! And you can find my ko-fi link there too, if you're feeling generous :)  
> (I can guarantee faster updates with monetary motivation, plus I take commissions!)  
> neggsi.tumblr.com


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